


Don't Tell Them Anything

by skadiseidr



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, BAMF Frigga (Marvel), BAMF Loki (Marvel), Brother Feels, Domestic Avengers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Hurt/Comfort, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Loki (Marvel) Angst, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel)-centric, Loki lies a lot, Loki never meets Thanos, M/M, Minor Jane Foster/Thor, Odin (Marvel)'s Bad Parenting, Odin sucks, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, People are after Loki, Post-Thor (2011), Sakaar (Marvel), Space Adventure, Space Flight, Suicidal Thoughts, The Avengers (2012) Never Happened, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Tony Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-08-07 15:40:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16411253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skadiseidr/pseuds/skadiseidr
Summary: In desperation, Loki lets go of Gungnir at the Bifrost. Instead of falling into Thanos' clutches, however, he falls to Sakaar, where he meets a strange man known only as the Grandmaster. He instantly finds himself swept away on a colorful roller coaster ride where he does everything necessary to keep the ruler's attention- for his own protection.Meanwhile, Thor learns that his brother survived the fall. He goes to Midgard seeking the help of it's warriors, the soon-to-be Avengers, to lead on a fantastic galactic adventure to retrieve Loki.On Sakaar, Loki begins to fall apart as recent events haunt him. He needs someone to take him home... wherever that is.





	1. Crashlanding

“I could have done it, father!” cried Loki. “For you! For all of us.”

His mind was raging, the sky was spinning, the Bifrost was breaking and his tears were falling.

“No, Loki,” came Odin’s reply.

And now his mind was still, the sky was fixed, the Bifrost cold and hard and his tears stilled; but his life was ending.

The prince barely registered his hand relaxing, or Thor’s scream of horror. There was only the sound of the stars in his ears and the hues of space in his eyes as he Fell into the abyss. 

There was nothing in the Void. It was hungry and endless- it had devoured itself long ago, and now it tried to feed on Loki as he Fell, but Loki was nothing. Loki was nothing but his own sharp thoughts. And so the Void gnawed at their edges; as he Fell, he stopped thinking. There was nothing to see, the rushing in his ears became the silence, there was nothing to feel except his own body, except he couldn't move. 

In this state, it took Loki a long time to realize he wasn’t dead. When he did, he wondered passively how long it would be until he was, and if it would be any better or worse than just this: Falling through space and time with none to stop him. 

But the Norns had other plans. First, Loki saw colors. Then, the rushing in his ears grew louder and louder until it shook him: only to end abruptly. Light overtook Loki’s vision and he realized he wasn’t Falling anymore; he was falling. His slowed mind scrambled to register this fact, but by the time he had remembered what that meant, he had landed on a hard and unyielding surface, the impact jarring his teeth and breaking his bones.

The Jotun’s resilience had not left him, and he would have healed on his own over the course of several days, had a strange group not found him after what was perhaps two. Their noise was his first indication of their presence. His eyelids felt like solid rock, too heavy to lift, but his ears still functioned, though they were filled with the rushing of the stars. Loki heard many footsteps, belonging to both humanoid creatures and quadrupeds- he might have guessed some sort of horse. There seemed to be many sets of feet.

The procession halted when perhaps half of the group had passed the fallen prince, lying as if dead on the ground. Then, from above him, he heard a strange voice. “Now… Now wait a minute, ho there, what have we here?” it said. “You… and you, go over there and tell me what it is.”

Loki felt footsteps approaching him and then he was grabbed roughly by both shoulders. His broken bones protested so much that he almost screamed, but the Void had robbed him of speech and he could make no sound. Instead, his eyes snapped open, and he immediately closed them again as a shield: compared to space, any light seared his eyes.

“Bring it here,” the voice commanded, not unkindly. The two strangers lifting Loki complied, and he now wished he was capable of screaming or thrashing in pain. “Ooh- Ooh, careful now, it doesn’t look to good, does it?” asked the voice, as he was mercifully laid down again. “I think it could look pretty, mind you… if we just cleaned up all that… blood, or something, on its mouth… and I don’t know, do its limbs look right to you?” The voice didn’t wait for any sort of reply, but continued to speak. “I don’t think it looks so great right now. Bring… bring it back, would you? And hey- hey, I want it here, don’t move it anymore now…”

Loki felt the earth beneath him move, and from that moment he blessedly knew no more.

\---

When Loki woke, it took him several minutes to figure out his situation- _fought Thor_ , _failed to take own life_ , and _breaking every bone in my body_ all passed through his mind. He quickly decided to think about all of those things later, and instead attempted to recognize where he was. The fallen god was lying in a relatively large bed, built from heavy silver metal and made up with linens in various shades of blue. There was a window opposite him, but it was too far away for him to see anything but the sky. The sky wasn’t clean and blue enough to be of Asgard, though the make of his furniture had already given that much away. He wasn’t on Alfheim or Midgard, either, or Jo-

Loki stopped himself there. Quickly, he pushed this other host of questions and pains into the furthest recesses of his burning mind, and focused once more on his surroundings. It didn’t appear to be anywhere in the Nine Realms at all; not that that was to be expected. Oh, the Void led to many, many places, and not even he knew close to all of them.

Gingerly, the ex-Asgardian stretched his leg, pointing his toes under his coverings. Not detecting any broken bones, only bruises and tenderness, Loki attempted to sit up. This went surprisingly smoothly, with only the occasional wince, and the fallen god soon set both his feet on the hard, metallic floor next to his bed. As Loki pushed the bed coverings from his body, he realized he was wearing garments which were not his. He was clothed in a soft, blue tunic and violet breeches, the designs of which were strange to him. Loki sighed as he realized that these would not aid him in finding out where he was, either.

His next action was to walk across the room to look out of his large window, and his eyes were met with a chaotic spectacle. He appeared to be on what was perhaps the twentieth floor of a tall building, and was looking out upon a cityscape dotted with many buildings just as tall and taller still, as far as his eyes could see. The buildings were brightly colored and in varying states; some shining and proud, some dilapidated and barely standing.

Looking down, Loki could see the streets and buildings between these towers. They were bustling with creatures and large wagons. Another thing the sorcerer noted was that the sky was filled with rings, from which loads of large objects fell periodically. _Perhaps that is how I got here_ , Loki thought. He had been through many wormholes during his life, but rarely to leave the Nine Realms and never under such circumstances.

Loki’s musings and notes were cut short by the sound of his door opening. He turned sharply, cursing himself for not staying alert on a strange world, and for not changing his soft garments into something more practical. Standing in the doorway were two humanoids, who appeared to be female. They were wearing heavy breastplates and armguards made of some bronze-colored metal, and had intricate symbols painted on their faces in white. When they saw Loki was awake and standing, they addressed him. "The Grandmaster demands your presence, if you are able to walk."

Loki paused at the window, trying to hold himself with superiority despite his garments. Judging by the title, and the use of 'demand', he had little choice in the matter, but the Trickster thought it best to appear as if he truly was considering a refusal. If these lowly guards thought him meek, they might never see him as royalty, and therefore could take advantage of him in the future. It was in his best interests to establish his independence now. After looking down to his hands for a few seconds, the prince raised his head to look at the guards. "Very well. I shall accompany you to this... Grandmaster."

The two women gave him quick nods, and turned on their heels, leaving the door open. Once Loki had stepped into the hall, they began to lead him, striding purposefully. Loki took time to analyze these surroundings, as well. For all its chaos, the building appeared quite expensive. Various precious metals were inlaid in the walls, some well known to the sorcerer, others which he had only read about. He supposed this Grandmaster must be very wealthy and powerful, though possessing little care for the valuables he amassed. After five minutes of walking down long halls and taking elevators, the guards stopped Loki in front of large double doors.

"This is the Grandmaster's hall," one intoned. "You may enter," continued the other.

Straightening his clothing and posture, the fallen prince pushed the doors open and stepped into the room. The first thing Loki noticed was the reflectiveness of the floor. It was nearly mirror-like, and the flicker of a grimace passed over his face when he glimpsed his reflection; he wished he was wearing his Asgardian leathers. As Loki's gaze turned upwards and back to the end of the hall, he was taken aback by the spectacles he beheld. There were guards posted, but they were talking to each other, seemingly not paying much attention. There were creatures of different varieties lying at random on the floor, and the other people in the room seemed less like a high court of and more like a gathering of exotic merrymakers.

Finally, Loki's eyes reached what he presumed to be the throne, set upon a dais. A man, who looked refreshingly human and was wearing extravagant gold robes, was seated upon it. His kohl-lined eyes were surveying the room, a pleasant yet calculating smile on his face. Then his eyes fell upon Loki's, and the former Asgardian had to keep from reeling. Though this man looked human, Loki could instantly sense the powerful magic emanating from him. _This has to be the Grandmaster_ , Loki thought, carefully withdrawing his eyes. The man on the throne smiled lazily; if he had sensed Loki's revelation, he didn't show it. Then he spoke, voice carrying well through the large shining hall.

"If it isn't our little fallen princess," he said. "Come closer." Loki obeyed, biting back a challenging reply. _In an unknown situation such as this, it's all about watching and waiting_ , he reminded himself.

Once at the foot of the throne, the man surveyed Loki for several seconds, who subtely avoided eye contact. The last thing he wanted was to fall under some spell. "So, princess... I am the Grandmaster. What's your name?" Evidently considering his introduction sufficient, the Grandmaster eyed Loki expectantly.

The prince spoke clearly, but held back most notes of superiority. He could already tell the Grandmaster was not a being to trifle with. "I am King Loki," he said, hoping his title would earn him some respect.

"King, huh? That's a, a flashy name. So you're male then? Or is it just your... you know... title?"

"I am... male... usually," Loki replied hesitantly. He wasn't sure why this Grandmaster was so curious.

"Okay, hmm, okay... well," the Grandmaster muttered, "What can you do, King Loki?"

Regarding the hall again, understanding struck Loki. This man liked shows. He was some sort of ancient, powerful being, who spent his time in the middle of this vortex of splendor and riches being entertained by others. So, the Trickster deduced, he would have to figure out what sort of shows this man liked. "I can do many things," he said casually, quirking his eyebrow just a little.

"Oooh, let me see!" cried the Grandmaster, appearing pleased. He nudged the guard next to him. "Fourteen, I wanna see this."

Loki wracked his brains for a moment, searching for something widely appealing which wouldn't be too simple, too revealing of his abilities, or simply humiliating. Then, he closed his eyes and with a thought, transformed his clothing into something similar to his Asgardian garments- green, black, gold, leather and metal- but altered here and there. As his clothing changed, his body did as well; the shape of his eyes, his hair, his chest and hips. When Loki opened her eyes, the Grandmaster was clapping.

“I like it, princess, I like it. You see, I have a certain… fondness for curious people. And I haven’t seen many do a trick like yours. You can change back just as easily?”

Relieved her plan had worked, Loki nodded and changed back, reluctantly parting with Asgardian clothing once more. The Grandmaster hand lifted one bejeweled hand to his mouth, musing. “I liked that costume you were wearing just now… and I like the little trick… but it’d be more fun if… hey, Fourteen?”

A guardswoman answered him instantly. “Yes, Grandmaster?”

“Go on ahead, prepare my blue velvet litter. Me and princess… uh, princex here are going shopping.” The man waved a hand towards the great doors as he spoke.

The woman, Fourteen, instantly strode off to do his bidding. The Grandmaster rose from his throne, stepped down from the dais, and started off in the same direction, beckoning Loki to follow him with one painted finger. Loki did not appreciate the near-ownership the ruler seemed to feel over him, but knew there was nothing to do but follow. Also, he reminded himself, it could be far worse. The Grandmaster did not appear cruel, at least not on the surface.


	2. Pick the Finest Fabric You Can Find

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki spends an afternoon with the Grandmaster, and begins to understand the mysterious man's powers, as well as how to best keep on his good side.

Following half a footstep behind the extravagant man, Loki attempted to devise a quick strategy. It was imperative he keep impressing the Grandmaster, that much was obvious. He expected shows, and Loki had no way of knowing how quickly he tired of them, or what happened once he did.

The Grandmaster walked quickly, in a way which was youthful yet telling of his power, and soon they reached a litter. It was already resting on the shoulders of eight humanoids. The Grandmaster climbed in first and held out a hand for Loki. He accepted it and hesitantly sat down on a blue cushion, below the Grandmasters’ ottoman. Thin veil curtains were drawn, and the litter began to move.

Loki finally decided to ask a couple of questions. “If I may ask… where exactly are we?”

The Grandmaster looked down at him with his curiously colored eyes, a lazy smirk playing across his face. “This is my domain. It’s nowhere, and everywhere. On the edge of one part of space. Where everything ends up… eventually.”

Loki nodded slowly, disguising his annoyance. “And… does your great domain have a name?”

“A curious one, aren’t you? This, dear prince, is Sakaar.”

 _Sakaar._ Loki tried to place the name. He was sure he had read about it, maybe in the libraries on-

The sorcerer flinched inwardly, desperately turning his thoughts away from his old home… his not-home. _You can’t afford to do this right now_ , he reminded himself.

Fortunately, the Grandmaster did not seem to notice Loki’s momentary lapse in control. “We’re here!” he announced cheerily. The litter stopped moving a heartbeat later, and the curtains were pulled open once again. Loki let the Grandmaster lead him out, then blinked his eyes at the strength of the sunlight outside, which was amplified by the many reflective and brightly-colored surfaces all around. Before the Trickster could pick up more than the fact they were on a busy street, the Grandmaster seized his hand and began pulling him forward.

The litter had dropped them off at the edge of a plaza surrounded by buildings. The plaza was covered in brightly colored tents, hastily set up wherever there was any room to spare. It was packed with people, but as the Grandmaster began moving forward, they began to make way. Even in such an exotic and crowded place, the ruler stuck out; he was around Loki’s height and his shining robes amplified his presence by reflecting light in such a way that Loki suspected they had to have some sort of enchantment on them.

One of the first tents the pair reached was filled with mismatched shelves, all of which were piled high with fabrics of every texture and color imaginable. A scaly humanoid no taller than Loki’s elbow was scurrying between them, obviously taking orders from customers. They stopped attending to the others as soon as they saw the Grandmaster, however, and approached him with near reverence. “How may I assist, dearest Grandmaster, hmm?”

“Nothing for me today. I’m getting Princess here some, uh, pretty clothes. You can leave us, for now.” The Grandmaster waved the vendor away and turned to Loki. “Well, Princess, look around you. Pick the finest fabric you can find…”

Loki obliged. He wanted to find something he felt comfortable wearing, but he also knew he needed to impress the Grandmaster… keep him interested. So far, it seemed that the ruler was inclined to give Loki comfort, which meant protection as well. And on a faraway world, barely healed from breaking half the bones in his body and not knowing what he was going to do next, protection was vital.

The former prince’s gaze was irresistibly drawn to the leathers. They had a different scent and shine to Asgardian—

Loki closed his eyes, preventing his second involuntary shiver that day, and decided that _different_ was a very, very good idea. Remembering the Grandmaster’s painted nails and lip, as well as the litter which had transported them, the Trickster decided blue had to be a favorite color of his, and pointed to a roll the color of the sea, as well as a purplish shade next to it. He very nearly startled when the Grandmaster suddenly laid his chin on his shoulder and murmured into his ear. “Before… when you did you little trick for me… you were wearing a cloak. I liked that. You wanna pick a color for that?”

Recognizing this question as a demand, Loki scanned the shelves. His eyes fell on a large roll of lighter fabric in a bright yellow. For a moment he hesitated- why this color? – but the Grandmaster hummed with approval into his ear, so Loki wasted no time in selecting it.

The Grandmaster forwarded their wishes to the vendor, and added an additional request- shoulder, upper arm and wrist guards in a shade of grey. Mostly ornamental, Loki assumed, but he would appreciate the feeling of wearing any sort of armor.

To the former Asgardian’s surprise, the vendor instantly set their team to work on the outfit. The Grandmaster assured him it would be done quickly _“because I want it to be.”_ Loki didn’t waste time wondering what that entailed.

After making the required negotiations, the Grandmaster led Loki aside into nook between multiple brightly colored tents, just barely out of the crowd’s way. The grey-haired man leaned against a barrel, taking a languid look at Loki, who suddenly felt a jolt in his mind, as if—

 _Damn_ , he thought to himself. The sorcerer had sensed the Grandmaster’s great power immediately upon seeing him, but now he could feel this power reaching out, probing, searching the edges of his mind for answers—answers which would expose his true intentions immediately. At the same time, he also knew that open resistance would be foolhardy.

Loki settled for granting the Grandmaster access to the surface of his thoughts, just enough to make sure no suspicions were aroused. Subtlety had always been one of his strengths, and he had dealt with more focused mind-readers before.

The air between them was tense for a few seconds before the Grandmaster broke the silence.

“So, little King… what brings you to this part of the known? You didn’t look so good when we found you… I mean, you were pretty, of course… but a little… bent at awkward angles and such…”

Loki’s bones ached at the memory, and he plastered a smile on his face, summoning it from the knowledge that his ruse was working-- the Grandmaster believed he had access to Loki’s mind. “I… you might say I had a bit of a tumble.”

“A tumble, huh? I hope it was for me.” The Grandmaster winked at Loki, who looked away quickly. Ah. He had suspected the Grandmaster might not be the type to have many platonic relationships. Not that this was a problem for Loki-- as a Trickster, he had been involved in every type of relationship he could think of, usually as means to an end. Oh, Loki knew what he had to do.

Eyeing the ruler sideways, Loki let a smile cross his features, making it look suppressed. “Perhaps it was, oh great Grandmaster.”

The grey-haired man grasped Loki’s hand in his. “Of course it was… I am giving you a costume, aren’t I?”

Loki smiled again, and this time he didn’t have to fake it. He had been right from the beginning: the Grandmaster didn’t keep friends, just exotic people in pretty costumes. That’s exactly what Loki would be, for as long as he needed the man’s protection.

The Grandmaster looked over Loki’s head, and his eyes brightened. “It appears your costume’s here, Princess,” he said.

The pair made their way back to the textiles tent from earlier, easily getting to the front of the line. The scaly vendor hurried towards them, holding a package. “Leather outfit with cloak, for the Grandest Master and his Princess.” After handing it over, they quickly bowed and took their leave, rushing off once again to continue taking orders.

The Grandmaster took the package in one hand and Loki’s hand in the other, and began to tug the Asgardian back towards the litter. The jewels covering the ruler’s hand dug into Loki’s skin as he was pulled through the dense crowd.

Once the curtains were closed and the litter had started moving again, the Grandmaster handed the package to Loki. “Open it,” he commanded.

Loki obeyed. He tore the paper open gently and unfolded the clothes inside: a tight-fitting top, the chest paneled asymmetrically with the sea-blue leather and the sleeves with this blue and the purple, embroidered with gold; a pair of leather breeches; his cloak, blue on the outside and lined with the bright yellow he had picked out. The armor pieces were there too: light pieces to fit snugly around his arms.

He looked up at the Grandmaster, who had watched him sort through his clothing with rapt attention. When they made eye contact, the older man made a gesture. “It’s so hard to wait until we’re back to see you in this,” he sighed, “you’ll just have to put it back and keep me entertained until then, I suppose.”

Loki’s hands stilled for just a second. He wanted to keep his talents hidden for as long as possible, leaving more for the Grandmaster to discover later; then again, he knew the Sakaaran ruler was not a patient man, so using some magic now might win him over a little more.

The Trickster decided to go for it. He was tempted to send a certain thought the Grandmaster’s way for good measure, but decided against overt manipulation—for now.

Loki snapped his fingers, and with a shower of flashing green he was dressed in his new leathers, his Sakaaran costume from earlier safely stowed in his dimensional pocket, should he need it later.

He didn’t look up, but held his breath, waiting for the Grandmaster’s reaction. The latter was silent for about ten seconds, and Loki began to fear he had made a wrong move. Then, to his relief, the ruler began to chuckle heartily.

“I’m starting to understand you, princess, and I like it.”

Privately, Loki disagreed with that statement. _Oh, you wish you understood._

The Grandmaster beckoned. “Come, sit by my feet.”

Loki gave a sweet smile. Obligingly, he moved to the Grandmaster’s ottoman and curled up at its left. He proceeded to hold back his jolt of surprise when the man began to stoke his hair slowly.

“Hmm… your hair could use a wash… we’ll have to see to that…”

Loki wasn’t sure what to think of the use of _we,_ and decided he would think about that when the time came.

“I didn’t get much chance to talk to you tonight… that’s too bad. It needs to change.”

Loki wasn’t sure what to say to that, and settled for a slow nod, feeling the other man’s hands on his scalp.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed, but I like you.” The Grandmaster laughed. “Heh… of course you noticed… you’re not a heap of jelly right now... anyway…” he paused. “It’s not, you know, uncommon, me liking people. But hey, you’re one of them!”

He moved his decorated hand down Loki’s cheek, grabbing his chin and turning the prince’s head towards him, grip betraying his strength. Loki didn’t miss how his eyes were glittering with something more serious than usual, or how his voice had a faintly sinister edge, and the Trickster knew he had to choose his next words very carefully. “I am… honored to be… appreciated by you, dearest Grandmaster.”

He paused, not attempting to break from the man’s hold. “I will do what I can to ensure you remain so well-disposed toward me.”

The Grandmaster smirked, showing his approval, as Loki did the same on the inside. _Is there anything better than using the truth to tell a lie?_ He wondered to himself.

“I knew you’d understand,” the Grandmaster said, finally letting Loki’s face go.

As much as Loki was pleased with how his plan was going so far, he felt goosebumps on his skin, and not just because of the evening chill which was beginning to seep through the litter’s curtains.

The rest of the journey to the Grandmaster’s building was relatively quiet, with the ruler murmuring the occasional comment about the details of Loki’s new outfit, the inside of his litter, or various buildings they passed along the way.

When they stopped, Loki let the Grandmaster exit first and help him out. It seemed the man liked to spoil the people he “liked”, and honestly, Loki wasn’t going to complain… most of the time.

When they entered the building, Loki half-expected the Grandmaster to ask to spend the night with him, and was quite surprised when this was not the case. The man had been very forthcoming so far, and if there was anything Loki had learned today, it was that this ruler was not a patient man.

Though, he reflected as the Grandmaster showed Loki to his rooms and pressed a kiss to his hand, it would give him another night to craft his strategy, which would be easier after having spent an entire afternoon with the man.

Smiling softly from under his eyelashes, Loki returned the farewell and closed his door only once the Grandmaster had turned a corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you might have noticed an exact Tom Hiddleston quote in this chapter, about the Grandmaster letting Loki pick new clothes. 
> 
> Thank you for reading chapter two, feel free to leave any feedback!


	3. The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki thinks up a strategy, and goes on a tour of the Grandmaster's tower. 
> 
> Sorry this is one day late, everyone: the announcement of Loki's series and Tom's confirmation had me far too excited to edit yesterday. 
> 
> Also, Thor (and most likely the Avengers) are going to be introduced in the next chapter! 
> 
> Thank you for reading.

The quarters Loki had been escorted to were different from last night’s: Loki wasn’t sure if this was because the Grandmaster had forgotten where Loki had previously slept, or whether these new rooms were a sign of his rising in rank.

Gesturing with one finger, Loki turned on the lights and opened the curtains so he would be able to see better. Two large moons hung in the night sky, illuminating the crowded cityscape far into the distance. The planet looked almost as chaotic as it did during the daytime: Loki could see people swarming underneath street lamps; and some buildings where lit up in many colors, while other districts where entirely shrouded in darkness.

Loki quickly surveyed his quarters, finding a bathroom, what appeared to be a separate make-up and dressing room, and a balcony leading off from the main bedroom. Every room was well-stocked, and Loki found there were far more luxuries than one might expect from a room in an inn.

Deciding it must already be quite late, Loki walked to the bathroom to wash his face before bed. A large mirror confronted him there; Loki waved a hand to discard his glamour so he could check his wounds.

He found himself in tolerable condition. There was still a large bruise on his cheek and rings beneath his eyes from previous exhaustion, as well as bruises blossomed along his back and legs from where his bones had been broken, but they would fade. He summoned a small pain-numbing potion from his dimensional pocket, while murmuring the words to reinstate and strengthen his glamour.

Potion in hand, turning back towards the bedroom, Loki almost dropped his vial when he saw a flash of blue on his left hand. Loki’s heart pounded, afraid to check, as he raised his arm to eye level. When he realized it was only a smudge of paint from the Grandmaster’s lips, a tidal wave of relief swept over him, but a bitter taste was left in his throat and the hollow feeling in his stomach diminished but didn’t leave.

He set down the potion and turned on the sink, his jaw set as he scrubbed the paint off his hand using more force than necessary. He watched the blue run from his skin, spiraling down the drain, and rubbed just a little more before grabbing the sink’s cold ceramic with both hands and looking in the mirror- _just to make sure._

Loki uncorked and drank the potion, chasing away the bitterness with its sweet flavor. Then he took deliberate steps towards his bed, lying down and drawing the covers over his body.

All thoughts of his current schemes had fled out of his head. He tried to take them back, but his efforts were crushed by an invasion of sudden memories. Blue on his hand… blood on his hands… Gungnir slipping out of his hands…

Loki hissed and sat bolt upright. He _had_ to focus on his situation on Sakaar, his position with the Grandmaster, or all would be lost. Everything had gone well today, and he wasn’t going to ruin it with sentiment- the only feelings he needed right now were the focus to tell his lies and the strength of will to use his magic.

He had to impress the Grandmaster tomorrow somehow. That should be fairly easy- he had done rather scandalous things in the past for trifles far less important than his status- life, maybe, on an unknown realm. Also, Loki liked the Grandmaster well enough, so far. He had interesting insight on people, and Loki more than suspected he was highly intelligent underneath his strange manner of speaking and rather unhinged habits. It was not a question of discomfort- the real reason for Loki’s wariness was the power he could feel. The Grandmaster was very old, powerful, and undoubtedly dangerous. If Loki wasn’t careful, he might very well see through Loki’s lies, and—

Loki had begun to relax again, but this train of thought sent his pulse racing once more. He clenched his hands into fists. No, nobody could see through his lies, nobody was allowed to see through them… no one.

 _Not even yourself_ , said a voice in Loki’s mind.

At that, the fallen prince got up and began to pace, parts of his situation getting through to him. He barely knew the name Sakaar from books; now he was stranded here. He was trying desperately to appeal to a dangerously powerful being who was capable of Norns-know-what, and to what end?

Turning on his heel, the former prince looked out over the city once more. He had to view the situation objectively: this was a good place to recover his powers, recuperate, and forge plans for the future. Sakaar was no warlike planet, there were no complex politics, and best of all there was no culture of do-gooders. Nobody would try to get to know Loki, which meant lying would be easy. In fact, all he had to do here was lie, cheat, and make love- and he was good at all of the above.

The Trickster grinned to himself, pushing away the last remnants of his previous sentimental train of thought and focusing instead on this realization.

Stretching his arms out in front of him, Loki made his way back over to the bed. With a good night’s rest, he would surely win over the Grandmaster completely the next day.

\---

Having forgotten to draw his curtains, Loki awoke at daybreak. Just as well- he didn’t know the Grandmaster’s schedule yet, and didn’t want to be late.

After standing up, rolling his shoulders, and shifting from one leg to the other, Loki snapped his fingers and donned his newly-crafted clothes. He then made his way to the dressing room.

There were several drawers and shelves in this room, filled with strange costumes and various beautification products. Loki assumed his current outfit would be the wisest thing to wear, considering the Grandmaster had had it commissioned for him, and was grateful for this fact since several of the options in this dressing room were rather… exotic.

Running his fingers over the products on the shelves, Loki decided to put some of them to use. _The Grandmaster likes variation_ , he thought. Of course, he could use a glamour for this, but the Grandmaster might sense the extra magic and Loki wanted the man to have little idea as to his true strength.

Gathering a few of the products, Loki sat down on a plush stool in front of a vanity mirror. It had been a while since he had last applied any sort of makeup, but he was fairly certain he would be able to pull off something simple.

Focusing on his face in the mirror, Loki applied a concealer to smooth out his complexion and a black kohl liner around his eyes. He also painted his fingernails in a shade of blue which complimented that of his leathers and wasn’t the same as the Grandmaster’s.

Right as he finished, there was a knock at the door. With a wave of his hand, the sorcerer banished the products back onto the shelves and turned off the dressing room lights. He approached the door and opened it, not sure whether to expect the master of the house or not.

It turned out to be a guardswomen knocking: she informed him, with a stony expression, that the Grandmaster had sent for him. Loki smiled, checked his quarters one last time with a look over his shoulder, and agreed to be escorted to where the ruler was waiting.

While walking the halls, Loki attempted to figure out the tower’s layout. His first quarters had been high up, near the twentieth floor; last night’s had been on the eleventh. The main hall took up most of the eighth.

Today, however, the Grandmaster was waiting for Loki in front of the double doors to said hall. “Good morning there, sunshine,” he said.

Loki smiled and dipped his head. “Good morning, Grandmaster.”

The other man looked faintly displeased. “Oh, come now, we know each other way too well for these formal- these formalities. Call me En Dwi, please. Grandmaster makes me feel old. I mean, I am old, of course, but not too old.” He ended his sentence with a wink.

 _Doesn’t mind starting early, does he?_ Loki commented to himself. “It’s my pleasure, En Dwi,” he replied.

The Grandmaster didn’t acknowledge his response, but moved straight to discussing his plans for the day: more specifically, he and Loki’s plans for the day. “I thought, since you’ll be staying a while, that I should show you the place. Take you on a tour, you know.”

Loki agreed with unfeigned enthusiasm: more knowledge of his surroundings would serve him well. He began to walk towards the elevator, but the Grandmaster caught his shoulder and grabbed his chin, turning the Asgardian's face towards him. 

"Ooooh, princess. I love the little" -he gestured around his eyes with his free hand- "eye makeup thing you did for me." 

Loki looked down, smiling coyly. "I'm glad," he said simply. 

The Grandmaster released Loki's chin and set off at a quick pace, leading the former prince into an elevator which carried them to the first floor.

The first floor was lit up by huge windows which let large amounts of natural light in, but didn’t show the street view. Instead, they projected a field filled with alien creatures- of every species Loki was familiar with, they most resembled Midgard’s llamas. As the Asgardian watched, the scene changed to a tropical-looking forest view.

The Grandmaster led Loki up the main staircase, which was made of gold and some sort of purple stone, to the second floor. The walls and floor on this floor were more subdued than others, but bizarre statement pieces of art adorned the walls. En Dwi pointed out some of his favorites to Loki.

The next floor contained sculptures and engravings, and Loki realized the Grandmaster kept much of his valuables on the floors people would see most, probably to showcase his wealth.

The Grandmaster led Loki up through the tower's floors, only skipping ones he referred to as “standard quarters.” Loki saw rooms upon rooms filled with paintings, statues, animals, and people posing in revealing costumes: the sheer amount of possessions he saw was enough to numb his brain.

Only a few things caught his attention: the sight of an animal which he knew had been extinct in the Nine Realms for millennia; a group of creatures positioned in a human pyramid, eyes glassy and completely unmoving; hearing a woman speak the Ancient Tongue of Vanaheim, and one instance when the Grandmaster lightly squeezed his rear when they were in a particularly slow elevator together.

On the seventeenth floor, the pair were obliged to walk from one end of the building to the other to find the staircase.

The Grandmaster explained: “My personal elevator is the only one which connects to every floor, but I wanted you to have the full tour. Hope you don’t mind the exercise, princess.”

Loki assured the Grandmaster he did not mind, which was entirely true. Despite not remembering most of the sights En Dwi had showed him, he had been mapping the tower’s layout in his head and now had quite a good overview of every floor they had visited so far.

The seventeenth floor was different from the others. Up until the fifteenth, every floor had contained either standard quarters or some surreal exhibition. The sixteenth had been darker- Grandmaster had skipped it, deeming it “storage”, and the seventeenth was the darkest yet.

The floor was made of sheets of a dark, shiny metal, and the walls were patchwork like most of the tower, except the halls weren’t well-lit, so the precious materials only shone dully and lost a lot of their color.

Loki wasn’t suspicious because of the lighting or the color of the walls, however: it was the way the Grandmaster was speaking. The older man was trying to distract him, and the Trickster knew it. En Dwi had spent the whole day talking constantly, uncaring if Loki responded for the most part, but now he kept asking Loki things, trying to keep his attention.

As a result, Loki paid all the more attention, glancing down dark hallways and pricking up his ears when he passed a closed door.

As the pair walked across the seventeenth floor, Loki began to hear more sounds than just their footsteps and the Grandmaster’s voice. He could hear distant clattering to the right, and he heard loud gasping from behind one door.

Loki didn’t catch sight of anything, however, until the pair had almost reached the staircase up. He was focused on something the Grandmaster had asked him, and because of the speed he was walking at he could only catch a glimpse, but he was completely sure of what he had seen.

A feeling of nausea overtook the Jotun as he began to climb the stairs, and it mixed with the butterflies in his stomach when the Grandmaster mentioned that his bedroom was on the twenty-second floor- the top of the tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, and sorry about the cliffhanger there. Whoops.


	4. Enter the Avengers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter the Avengers. 
> 
> Thor knows Loki survived his Fall, and he wants to find his brother and try to make things right.   
> He also knows he won't be able to do this alone.   
> He also knows... 
> 
> well, I can't tell you everything, can I?
> 
> I hope you like this chapter. Feel free to leave a comment of any kind, I love reading them!

Thor wasn’t often nervous, but right now his entire body was alive with tension. This could partially be attributed to his mode of transport: he couldn’t recall ever traveling to another realm by the Odinforce alone. During his centuries of life, the Bifrost had always worked, after all.

_The Bifrost… not working… broken… Loki._ Of course his train of thought had led him to the biggest reason for his anxiety- finding his brother-- _brother?_ – **brother**. _Of course Loki is your brother. And you’re going to find him_.

As Thor reassured himself, he caught Frigga’s eye. He could have sworn he caught a flash of yellowish-green in the wink his mother gave him… _could she have_ …? Thor shook away this thought, deciding he didn’t know nearly enough about magic to tell for sure, and besides, any sort of reassurance was welcome right now.

“My son,” intoned Odin, his hands frozen in a complicated gesture as he harnessed his Force. “You have chosen to search for the Fallen One.”

Thor’s left hand clenched into a fist under his cloak, as his other clasped Mjölnir tightly. Of course he was trying to find Loki. Did his father truly believe the past millennium of companionship had meant nothing? Or was he speaking as the All-Father, bound to withhold the sentiment he felt? Thor decided to give Odin the benefit of the doubt, and stayed silent.

“Through the skill and persistence of Asgard’s All-Mother, the Fallen One is believed to have been located and Thor, the Son of the All-Father, shall venture first to Midgard to assemble a band of those with enough heart to accompany him on this quest.”

Yes. The first stage of the plan. Thor knew the Avengers far less well than the other five warriors knew each other, having only been able to communicate with them and their organization, SHIELD , briefly through conversations orchestrated by Heimdall; but it seemed the Midgardian members had begun training together shortly after the Destroyer’s attack on Puente Antiguo in preparation for possible future extraterrestrial attacks. Thor only hoped they would agree to help him on this mission.

“I, Odin All-Father, use my Force to send Thor Odinson from the realm of Asgard to the Realm of Midgard.”

A glance at his father’s impassive face and a parting look to his mother’s grave one was all the time Thor had before his sight was whited out and his ears were closed off.

\---

“Sir, I am detecting an atmospheric anomaly. It’s energy reading matches those found near Puente Antiguo a little over three mon-“

“Fuck!” interrupted Tony Stark.

He cut the propulsion power in his suit and hovered in mid-air. “Where this signature heading, JARV?”

“Stark Tower, sir.”

“Double fuck! Okay. Let’s go.”

Power rushed back through the billionaire’s suit and he wove between the towers of Manhattan as fast as he could.

“Might I remind you that SHIELD’s exact orders concerning this type of situation were to immediately inform Director Fury and the Avengers, sir?”

“You can remind me, but do you really expect me to listen?”

The Iron Man suit flew faster, and Tony let out a small sigh of relief when he caught sight of his home and had visual confirmation that it hadn’t been blown up yet. “Reading anything, JARV?”

“A single life form on your balcony, sir.” A two-second pause. “Sir, it appears to be-“

Tony had recognized the man a split second earlier. “Hey, it’s the Viking guy!” He laughed. “The one alien I don’t mind seeing.”

Powering down, Tony dropped onto his tower’s platform and let it's built-in mechanism remove his armor. Thor watched from the balcony a floor below, and hesitantly entered the tower when Tony did.

“Hey there, Space Viking!” Tony greeted a rather bemused Thor. “Can I get you a drink? Is it too early for alcohol? No, who am I kidding, you probably brush your teeth with Jägermeister in the morning… and besides, I’m one to talk, aren’t I?”

During Tony’s monologue, Thor had set down Mjölnir, dipped his head, and pressed a fist to his chest in a warrior’s salute. Now he just looked even more confused. “Man of Iron,” he greeted formally. “I am honored to stand in the presence of one of Midgard’s finest warriors. I am Thor, son of- “

Tony interrupted him before he could finish his introduction. “Yeah, Point Break! We met over the spacey Skype call things, remember? I have to say, you’re more muscular, taller and Viking-y in real life.”

Thor did indeed tower over the engineer: the prince had to be at least half a foot taller, and his height was only accentuated by his heavy boots and Asgardian armor.

Tony busied himself at the bar. “Oh, what am I doing? I have to invite the others over. ‘Course, most of them are staying here these days, but they’re all out right now… right, JARVIS? “

Thor didn’t quite jump when JARVIS’ voice resounded throughout the room, but his eyes widened and his hand may have strayed toward Mjölnir.

“I will notify the Avengers, sir. Should I also inform Director Fury?”

Tony hesitated for a second, then shrugged. “I guess we have to.” He moved to continue pouring the beer, then caught sight of Thor’s startled expression. “Hey man, it’s good. That was just JARVIS... He’s like my… robot butler. Except he’s not actually, you know-“

Thor definitely did not understand this haphazard explanation, and JARVIS interjected quickly. “Mr. Odinson, I am Mr. Stark’s virtual assistant. My engineering allows me to hear what is said in this tower, and I am able to help with several types of digital tasks.”

Thor nodded slowly, then his face broke into a smile. “Man of Iron!” he boomed. “I was told of your abilities, but I see now nothing did you justice! I could never have imagined such inventions as your virtual servant.”

“Thanks, uh, Point Break.” Tony patted the surface of the bar, pointing out the large carafe of beer. “Earth’s finest. Also, you really don’t have to call me ‘Man of Iron’ all the time. I mean, it could be cool during fights, like a code name… then again, it kind of sounds like a C-rated metal band. Just… call me Tony. It’s fine.”

Thor looked vaguely surprised, but lifted his beer and toasted. “To Tony, then.”

Tony blinked. “Uh, cool.”

JARVIS spoke up. “Sir, Captain Rogers is approaching this building.”

“I bet fifty bucks the bastard ran all the way here from wherever he was, and is now pretending he didn’t.”

The AI sounded oddly amused when he replied. “Judging by the speed of his breathing, it would seem your assessment is quite correct.”

Tony high fived himself, before turning to the Asgardian sitting at the bar. “Looks like you’re going to meet Cap next.”

“Cap…” Thor mused. His eyes brightened. “Ah. The Captain of America.”

Tony snorted. “I am so calling him that from now on. Thanks, bud.” He slapped Thor’s shoulder, only to wince slightly and check on his hand.

The door downstairs buzzed, and the elevator showed it was ascending. The two men watched its small orange light blink. Then it froze, sounded with a _ding!_ and the silver doors slid open, revealing none other than Steve Rogers.

“Hiya Cap!” said Tony.

Steve ignored him, instead watching Thor, who rose from his seat, set his beer down on the bar top, and greeted the Captain with the same gesture he had attempted to use on Tony. Steve blinked a couple times, but then he parroted the salute.

“The Captain of America, am I correct?” Thor added, and continued after Steve had nodded breathlessly. “I have heard tell of your mighty deeds.”

Steve smiled. “I’m sure I’ve heard more of yours. It’s good to meet you.”

The men stood eyeing each other for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. Tony, predictably, broke the silence. “I already got Thor something, you want anything there, Cap?”

“If you don’t mind. Thanks, Tony.” Now that the Captain had met Thor and caught his breath, he was much more relaxed. He even sent a small smile the engineer’s way.

As Tony was digging around in the fridge, JARVIS notified the room that Director Fury’s helicopter was requesting to land on the tower's roof. Apparently, Clint and Natasha were with him.

“Where’s Bruce?” wondered Tony. A holographic map projected wordlessly by JARVIS answered his query.

Thor was very impressed by this feature. “This image, that which hangs in the air. It reminds me of my brother—”

A silence fell. Steve frowned slightly.

“Brother?” asked Tony.

Thor refused to answer. “When the others are here, I shall have more to say, Stark.”

As if on a cue, the trio was informed that Director Fury had just entered the elevator with agents Barton and Romanoff.

Almost anyone else would have been very intimidated by the sight of the three black-clad SHIELD workers stepping out of the elevator into the lounge. Fury, dressed in his usual leather trench coat and casting his intense one-eyed gaze across the room, was flanked by his two agents, who were- to Tony, at least- very visibly armed.

To Iron Man, Captain America and a Norse god, however, the three newcomers did not quite have this effect. Steve, being the natural leader, wasted no time in greeting his teammates. “Thor, this is Director Fury of SHIELD with Avengers Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff.”

Murmured greetings were exchanged. Thor seemed to finally have realized that people on Earth didn’t great each other with complex warrior’s salutes, and had stopped trying to perform his own.

Another minute later, Bruce Banner had rushed in, hurriedly greeted everyone, and sat down on a bar stool near Tony.

“So,” began Fury, “Thor. How did you get here? The Bifrost was broken, wasn’t it?”

Thor nodded gravely. “It still is, though Asgard works every day to repair it. I was transported here directly by my father’s power. ‘Twas no easy task.”

“So why are you here, then?”

“It is a long tale, good Director; I suppose it comes down to the fact that I wish the Avengers to accompany me on a quest.”

Fury looked pensive—his voice remained utterly calm and steady. “A mission, you say? What kind of mission? Is there a threat to Earth?”

The god of thunder hesitated before answering. “Not yet, though I fear one may come into being if I do not act soon.”

Tony had been holding back his comments, but now he had to speak up. “Do you mean your brother, the guy you just mentioned?”

Thor looked over at the engineer, nonplussed. “I… I suppose that’s part of it.”

The Director was getting slightly impatient. “OK, so can you tell me what exactly you want? What’s this about your brother?”

Thor looked at the floor, his great shoulders sagging. “My brother… his name is Loki.”

The strange name seemed to hang in the air to Tony, though he had no idea why.

“He… just over three months ago, there were… revelations in my family. Revelations which fell ill with Loki. He… in an attempt to…” Thor swallowed, and Natasha’s eyes narrowed from across the room as she took in his body language. “He ended up Falling from the Bifrost after it was destroyed. We thought him dead at first, but through my mother’s complex spellwork, we were able to determine his location.”

Tony spoke up again, confusion evident in his voice. “ _Spellwork_? As in Harry Potter? Also, sorry if this is insensitive, but why should we go find your brother?”

The Prince looked back towards Tony, something unreadable in his electric blue eyes. “On Asgard, magic is no more special than science is to you here on Midgard. As for your second question, there are multiple reasons. Firstly, Loki was not entirely… stable when he Fell. I’m not sure if… I may not be able to bring him back myself. Also, Heimdall has been watching the skies. He can see shifts on the horizon: Midgard has met other beings at last, signaling to other worlds that it is ready for contact—not necessarily peaceful. It is part of my duty as protector of the Nine Realms to investigate these movements. Finally, you would surely gain much technology and knowledge if you were to travel with me.”

The room was quiet. Clint, who had been silent so far, understood first. “Wait a second. You’re talking about going into space.”

Fury shot a quick look at his agent, then addressed Thor again. “You’re trying to ask my Avengers, the best protectors this planet has, to go with you into outer space to find a long-lost family member who may or may not be crazy?” He sounded incredulous, and Tony couldn’t help but mostly agree. Except for the part about—

Surprisingly, Natasha was the one to voice his thoughts when she spoke up, her calm and analytical voice cutting though the room’s tension. “Think about this, Fury. These people can see what’s going on out there far better than we ever could. If some people out there really are preparing for war, we need to know more. Besides, you’ve been saying it yourself. Our current technology just isn’t enough.”

Fury sighed. “All right, I see your point. But you know I can’t send all of you, and I’ll need more details from Thor. A full briefing, understand?” He pointed his glare at the Asgardian, who nodded dutifully.

“So, who are you going to send, Fury?” asked Tony. He shrugged, confident. “You obviously need me. Thor mentioned technology; I have to be there to figure it out and know what to bring back. Plus, I’ll get to live my Star Wars fantasy!”

The Director coughed. “Actually, Stark, you’re staying here. I need you on patrol, and I don’t think—”

What happened next almost made the billionaire choke on his drink: _Steve Rogers_ _interrupted Fury_. “He does have a point. I don’t think I’ll be able to do this without Tony up there.”

Fury’s one eye was incredulous, but also beginning to look resigned.

“I am obviously going. I have much experience in travelling through space, and I need to be there when my brother is found,” Thor filled in gravely.

Fury was close to groaning, Tony knew it. “I have to send Barton and Romanoff…” he mused. “I need SHIELD up there.”

From the back of the room, Bruce lifted his head and spoke up. “It’s fine, Director. I can stay. I can keep working in the lab here at Stark Tower, I can check in at SHIELD when you need me, and if there’s something very wrong” -he sighed – “well, the Other Guy is always there.”

“You were on of the few I wanted to send, Banner,” replied Fury. “We need a scientist up there, and you can survive more dangers of space than maybe anyone else here.”

Bruce shook his head. “Oh no, no. The Helicarrier is bad enough, thank you. I really don’t need to go into… you know… space.”

Fury was resolute. “Banner, you’re going up there.”

The grey-haired man shifted in his seat, eyes darting toward Tony, who gave him a short but reassuring nod.

“…Fine,” he said.

A grin lit Tony’s face up, and he spread his arms. “So, the Avengers are going on a space trip, huh?”

Fury looked defeated, Steve and Bruce were shaking their heads to various degrees. Clint and Natasha were sharing a furtive glace.

Thor just looked very, very relieved.


	5. Preparations and Good-Byes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor has been on Midgard for a few weeks now and though apprehensive, he feels it is time to get going. Before the journey can begin, however, there are some conversations he needs to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this chapter is nine days late, and I'd like to apologize unreservedly.   
> If you were to allow me an excuse, it would be that last weekend I unexpectedly went to Comic-con, and this weekend I bought tickets for Betrayal starring Tom Hiddleston-- which, judging by the nature of this fanfiction alone, you can probably imagine excited me quite a lot. 
> 
> I have decided that I want this fanfiction to be completed and published before Avengers 4 comes out, which means some Saturdays will be double updates, and occasionally I may post a chapter during the week as well. I will do my best to tell you when these will take place. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Thor was in the chambers in which Stark had so generously let him stay, standing before a floor-to-ceiling window and looking out over a foggy New York City.

The last weeks had passed by in a flurry of generally inconsequential-seeming meetings with different Midgardian organizations, hours of aiding Tony and Bruce as they worked on a vessel which would be able to transport them outside of the Nine Realms, and yet more consultations with SHIELD; punctuated with spikes of worry for Loki and bouts of frustration at the stagnancy of the mission.

It was winter on this part of Midgard, and the way it affected the city only added to the troubles weighing on Thor’s mind. The sun rarely shone through the snow-filled clouds, and much of the light came from glaring Midgardian lamps which cut through the snowflakes and fog like a blast of Seidr through flesh. When he had last been on Midgard, his surroundings had been dusty and run-down but it had been wide open and lit with sunshine. In this city, the Midgardians and their rituals were less easy to comprehend and it seemed further from home.

Shaking himself and grimacing, Thor turned away from the window. He was about to embark on a quest which would take him outside of the Nine Realms themselves, for Norn’s sakes-- there was no point in wishing for his home when he was still so relatively close to it.

Crossing his bedroom in a few large steps, Thor picked up the device Stark had left him: a telephone. He had been forced to learn the basic uses of one after about two weeks on Midgard: they seemed indispensable in this realm.

After mis-swiping a couple times, the Asgardian was able to find the single phone number Stark had filled in; above it was Jane Foster’s name. Tapping the “call” icon, Thor held the phone to his ear as it rang.

There was a slight rustling, then he was greeted with a familiar voice. “Hi, this is Jane Foster.”

Thor hesitated for a second, leaning back against a dresser. “Hello… Jane. This is Thor.”

At the other end, Jane was silent for close to half a minute. When she finally spoke up, her throat sounded tight. “Thor?” she whispered.

“Jane, please, let me explain. I meant to come back to you, but when I returned to Asgard, I was forced to confront my brother. The Bifrost ended up being destroyed, and I had no way to contact you.”

Jane took this new information in quickly, like the scientist she was. “The Bifrost was destroyed?”

“Indeed. Asgard is quite close to repairing it, but when I was sent to Midgard this time, it was through a complicated spell orchestrated by my father.”

“Oh…kay. And, um, your brother?”

Thor heaved a great sigh. “My brother’s situation is rather… delicate. We barely know where he is. That is why I have returned: I am leading a quest to retrieve him.”

“So you’re leaving again?”

“I am afraid so, Jane.”

More silence from Jane’s end. Then: “Hold on, is this quest of yours the reason SHIELD is suddenly so interested in space travel?”

“I—yes, but how did you know this?”

“Erik. He works with SHIELD now—He’s not supposed to tell me anything, but you know how he is.”

Thor smiled; he definitely remembered how Selvig was.

Jane continued. “But you haven’t seen him? Erik, I mean?”

“No, I have not.”

Jane sounded relieved. “Good. Otherwise I might have had to kill him for not telling me you were back.”

Thor laughed softly.

“Speaking of which, you know how to use a phone? Either someone gave you a crash course, or you’ve been here for way longer than I thought.”

“Tony Stark taught me.”

Jane's response sounded fainty wary. “Friends in high places, huh?” In a lighter tone, she continued: “I almost feel bad for him having to teach you technology.”

Thor laughed for real this time. “It is good to hear your voice again, Jane. I have missed it.”

“Yeah… yeah. Me too.” She paused for a second. “So, am I going to be able to see you before you go on this top-secret mission of yours?”

Thor shook his head, before remembering she couldn’t see him. “I don’t think so. I am sorry, Jane.”

“It’s all right. I understand.”

“I swear to you I will see you again when I return.”

“Okay, Thor.” Her voice was a whisper now. “Good luck. I hope you—you find your brother. Bye, Thor.”

“Goodbye, Jane.”

There was a click at the other end of the line. Thor put down the phone and rubbed his forehead, weary. He almost felt like going to sleep, but Stark’s disembodied servant spoke to him before he could truly decide.

“Mr. Odinson, Mr. Stark wants you at the SHIELD lab if you are not otherwise occupied.”

Thor yawned. “Thank you, JARVIS. You may inform him I will be there as soon as I am able.”

He stood up straighter and rolled his shoulders. _The time for rest is far away_ , he reminded himself grimly. 

\- - -

A blast of strange-smelling smoke escaped from the lab, rushing past Thor as soon as he had opened the heavily secured door. He coughed and peered into the room.

The lab was huge, even by Asgardian standards, and far bigger than any room in Stark’s tower. Most of it housed a massive metal hull: the nearly-finished space vessel. The rest of the room was filled with workbenches, shelves covered in various components, and three rows of computers.

Thor had been worried when he had realized that he would have to rely on Midgard to craft a transport: after all, the humans hadn’t even made it to their closest neighboring planet yet. But SHIELD soon showed him that he did not know everything about their world yet. As it happened, Tony Stark had been involved with the organization known as NASA for many years, and had himself already done many experiments. Also, Banner was very gifted at making calculations which were incomprehensible to Thor, but which sped up the programming process immensely. With the combined expertise of Stark and Banner, SHIELDs resources and Thor’s own counsel (Asgard was no stranger to building these types of vessels) the construction had gone far smoother than the Prince ever could have hoped.

Thor shut the door behind him and scanned the lab, looking for his friends. He spotted them at the far end of the room, standing around one of the computers.

As he approached them, he could hear Stark rattling off sequences of numbers as Banner typed them in furiously.

“…One-six-eight-eight-two-four-one, _next_!”

Bruce paused, hit a key and looked up. “That was the last set, Tony.”

“Wait, really? Okay, okay, JARVIS? Run diagnostic Omega.”

The two men were completely still, staring at the screen, obviously waiting for something. Thor didn’t realize it, but he too had stopped moving.

For nearly three minutes, the huge lab was utterly silent. Then a computer beeped, and Tony jumped up in celebration.

“Yes! _Yes_! HELL YES!” he screamed, pulling Bruce into a hug. Then he looked up and saw Thor. “Hey, Thor!” he beamed. “We’re done, can you believe it?”

Thor was dumbfounded for a second. “You’re… you’re done?” he said. “With what?”

“Well, we’re done with the ship!”

“Thor, we just finished the last remnants of the programming,” Bruce explained. “The ship is, at least technically, finished and ready to go.”

Thor let this information process for a second before his face broke into a smile. “This is wonderful news! You mean we will soon be able to leave?”

“I think so, Point Break,” said Tony.

“I am impressed by your speed. I must confess I was rather hesitant to rely on this realm’s technology at first.”

“Hear that, Bruce? Point Break doesn’t think the Science Bros can contend with his fancy-shmancy royal magic technology.”

Bruce raised his eyebrows. “That’s not exactly surprising.”

Tony shrugged. “Anyway, guys, you want to take the tour of our new space ship?” Without waiting for an answer, he began to walk towards said vessel.

Although he didn’t say so, Thor was quite curious as to how this ship had been built, so he followed the engineer. Bruce did likewise.

\- - -

Some time later, the trio was spread out over various benches in the ship’s main cockpit. Tony had magically pulled drinks from somewhere, declaring that since they had done all the real work _anyway_ , they deserved to celebrate. The three Avengers had been engaging in conversation—mostly remarking on the ship’s comforts and patting themselves on the back-- for close to an hour. Thor was surprised to find how comfortable he’d become with the two mortals over the last weeks.

During a lull in the conversation, Stark made eye contact with Thor from across the small room. In a relaxed voice, drink in hand, he said: “So Point Break, you never actually told us the deal with your brother, did you?”

His words were a statement, not a question; they hung in the air and forced Thor’s gaze to drop from the Iron Man’s face so that he was staring at the floor. The Asgardian tried to glance at Banner for help, but the physicist only stared intently.

He sighed. “If I am to tell you this story, you must know this: I have known my brother for a very long time. The Aesir live far longer than any on Midgard, and no such recent issue between my brother and I could possibly wash away the kinship I feel for him.”

He finished this solemn introduction, and was met only with silence, from Banner as well as Stark.

“The first time I came to Midgard, I came as a punishment. I was supposed to have been crowned King of Asgard, but instead I was cast from my own realm, because my father believed I was not yet ready. Today I agree with him: I was too reckless, too warlike... unworthy.

“You all know of the incident with the Destroyer in that small town in the New Mexico where I was living. I found out that my brother had been the one to send it. I defeated the creation and returned at once to Asgard to figure out what had happened, but there I found someone who was… not my brother.”

Here, Thor paused and Tony spoke up. “Do you mean he _literally_ wasn’t your brother, or?”

Thor shook his head, smiling grimly. “Oh, no. This was Loki. But something had gone horribly wrong. He was convinced that he and I were not brothers, only enemies; and he tried to set the Bifrost—for besides a mode of transportation, it is also a formidable weapon-- on another realm, Jotunheim.”

Thor sighed. “He seemed… to have gone mad. And I ended up having no choice but to fight him in an attempt to save the realm he had turned against. After the Bifrost had been destroyed, we both began to fall into the void below. Our father managed to catch us just in time. I remember it so vividly, I—”

He swallowed, and Bruce interrupted. “I’m sorry, Thor. You... you don’t need to tell us everything, you know.”

Thor waved his concerns away. “It’s all right… Bruce. It’s best if you both know.”

The Asgardian continued his story. “Odin had us, we were both safe. And I saw something in Loki’s eyes in that moment: something of his true self which I knew so well, but it wasn’t enough. He fell into the Void. I, along with the rest of Asgard, believed him to be dead. But my mother is a gifted user of magic, and she managed to locate him. That’s when I decided to rescue him. I was going to go alone at first, but my mother forbade me to. So I ended up coming to Midgard for aid.”

Bruce looked sympathetic. Tony had his chin resting on one of his hands, looking thoughtful. “Do you have any idea what made your brother so batshit crazy? It sounds like he wasn’t always like that.”

Thor shook his head. “No, Loki has always been the more rational, and indeed intelligent, between the two of us. I never thought he could act this way. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to know what truly went wrong, but my parents have since told me that Loki discovered he was adopted while I was on Midgard.”

Tony looked confused. “He’s like a million years old, and he just discovered that now?”

Thor managed a smile. “More like a thousand, but yes. I had no idea either.”

“Who are his biological parents?” asked Bruce.

“I don’t know,” said Thor. “Odin and Frigga—my parents—would not tell me: they said it was Loki’s secret, to be revealed only if he wished.”

Tony grimaced. “Seems kind of fishy to me. Why wouldn’t they tell you?”

Thor shrugged. “Everything the All-Father does, he does for a reason. I wish to find Loki, that is all. Knowing he was born to different parents does not change the way I see him.”

There was a pause.

“Thank you for telling us, Thor,” said Bruce. “It’s good to know what we’re dealing with, here.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Point Break,” agreed Tony, sounding uncharacteristically subdued. Then he clapped his hands. “Well, I think it’s time to tell the Avengers that ‘Operation Get Loki’ is ready to begin, huh?”

Thor nodded slowly, suddenly very focused on one of the ship’s many blinking lights.

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter, so I have some things to say:
> 
> -This fic is going to be quite long, but not epic length  
> -Unfortunately I have no clear schedule for updates, but I will always be a few chapters ahead on my writing and mean to update at least once per week, every two weeks at most  
> -The chapters get quite a bit longer as the fic progresses- sorry for the irregularity  
> -This fic has some violence, other than that nothing explicit. But Loki's suicide attempt at Bifrost is discussed and acknowledged in later chapters, and he's rarely in a good state of mind  
> \- The endgame of this fic is frostiron, but that won't happen for a while
> 
> With all that said, I hope you enjoy the upcoming story!


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